BTU established Strategies for Energy Dependent Economies as a not-for-profit research arm engaged in three interdependent areas of research:

• Cluster and Capital Market Development to promote national and regional competitiveness by assisting local governments with the development of policies for upgrading the competitive structure of their energy industries
• Hybrid Financing Instruments to maximize the utilization of local and regional equity and debt in financing energy infrastructure projects
• Energy and Materials Technologies to promote energy conversation, reduce fossil fuel emissions, and facilitate energy diversification